Generation of a Human Deafness Sheep Model Using the CRISPR/Cas System

Abstract

CRISPR/Cas9 system is a promising method for the generation of human disease models by genome editing in non-conventional experimental animals. Medium/large-sized animals like sheep have several advantages to study human diseases and medicine. Here, we present a protocol that describes the generation of an otoferlin edited sheep model via CRISPR-assisted single-stranded oligodinucleotide-mediated Homology-Directed Repair (HDR), through direct cytoplasmic microinjection in in vitro produced zygotes. Otoferlin is a protein expressed in the cochlear inner hair cells, with different mutations at the OTOF gene being the major cause of nonsyndromic recessive auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder in humans. By using this protocol, we reported for the first time an OTOF KI model in sheep with 17.8% edited lambs showing indel mutations, and 61.5% of them bearing knock-in mutations by HDR. The reported method establishes the bases to produce a deafness model to test novel therapies in human disorders related to OTOF mutations.